Fated
by Redqueen78
Summary: A chance meeting between Bonnie and Klaus changes the course of their lives forever. Soulmate AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _So, I always wanted to write a soulmate Klonnie fic and my muse finally cooperated with me. I'm planning for this to be a three part fic, just to get it out of my system really. Let me know if you like it. As always, thank you so much for all your support. Happy Holidays!_

* * *

 **Fated**

It happens on an otherwise normal day.

Bonnie steps out of the library and breathes in the crisp autumn air. She has spent the better part of the day working on a paper. It's about the witch trials in England, a fascinating subject that also hits close to home. Bonnie is a witch after all, a real one that is, not one of the poor souls who were wrongfully accused and convicted centuries before.

It's the magic flowing through her veins that alerts her to the presence of another supernatural nearby.

She's walking down the street when she feels it; that cold dread that penetrates every inch of her skin. Her head moves from side to side, searching for the source of her discomfort. That sudden cold can only mean that a vampire is nearby, although she can't see him yet. The younger the vampire, the harder they are to detect. The fact that her magic warns her about this vampire in particular when he isn't even in sight means he or she must be _an old one_.

Bonnie tenses and stops walking altogether, unsure of what to do. As a Bennett witch, she is no stranger to the supernatural creatures that roam the earth. She has encountered a couple of vampires throughout her life and a werewolf or two. You can't avoid other supernaturals in a city like London, big cities tend to attract them like bees to honey. She has always been careful to mind her own business though and avoid situations that might lead to trouble. _Better safe than sorry,_ her Grams likes to say and Bonnie has always taken those words to heart.

Her green eyes go wide when she finally spots him walking on the opposite side of the street. Tall, blond haired, and dressed in black. The man looks to be in his late twenties, he has blue eyes, full red lips and pale skin. He looks like he just stepped out of the pages of GQ magazine.

Bonnie's breath catches in her throat.

The vampire stops all of a sudden, eyes zeroing on her immediately.

The moment their eyes connect, Bonnie feels a warm tingling sensation spreading all over her body.

Everything stops.

The noises, the cars, the people walking around them, they all disappear as witch and vampire continue to gaze into each other's eyes.

There is a strange sizzling in the air, the wind picks up, and the earth trembles as a powerful, invisible rope ties them together.

He must feel it too. For the briefest of seconds, Bonnie could swear she sees surprise flickering across his face. It's gone all too soon though.

The two of them continue to stare at each other until a car speeds down the street and breaks the moment.

Bonnie blinks, body trembling and heart nearly bursting out of her chest. She feels startled and her magic is violently swirling inside her, to the point that it burns. She focuses on her breathing while looking at the handsome vampire once more.

He's gone.

She didn't even notice when he left.

Bonnie feels shaken by the encounter. She has never reacted like this to a vampire before, _her magic has never reacted like this,_ to be more precise. She stands there, feeling lost and confused by the whole thing and when she finally makes her legs work and hurries towards her apartment, she could swear she can feel _his eyes_ watching her.

She should have known then what that encounter meant.

 **X**

 **X**

Bonnie can't sleep.

The encounter with the handsome vampire lingers on her mind, keeping her awake for most of the night.

 _Who is he?_

 _Why did he provoke such reaction from her?_

 _Why can't she get him out of her mind?_

Something has changed, she can feel it but she's not entirely sure what it is. She rolls from side to side on her bed, kicks the covers, and stares at the ceiling. Her magic is restless, it thrums endlessly, almost as if it's seeking something.

She has to make a sleeping draught in order to finally fall asleep.

The next morning when she goes to the bathroom, she sees it.

A name scribbled on her wrist.

A name that was not there the day before.

Bonnie blinks and stares at the letters in shock. "This can't be real," she mutters. Her fingers tremble as she traces the name branding her skin; disbelief flowing through every nerve in her body. It looks like a tattoo but she knows it is not. The black cursive ink spells the name of her soulmate.

Her soulmate.

The realization hits her like a bucket of ice water.

Her knees go weak and she has to hold on to the sink for support. She can't breathe, all she can do is stare at the name with wide eyes.

 _Niklaus Mikaelson_

 **X**

 **X**

"Are you sure it's a soulmark?" Her cousin Lucy questions for the fifth or sixth time.

Lucy is the first-person Bonnie calls after recovering from her shock. Lucy is not only family but also her closest friend. "I have his name tattooed on my wrist, Lucy." Bonnie lays on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She has skipped classes today. She can't concentrate on anything else but the strange name on her skin. _Who would name their child Niklaus?_ She wonders absently.

"Maybe you got drunk last night and-"

"I woke up with it!" Bonnie interrupts in exasperation. "How the hell is this even possible?"

"Why are you so upset?" Lucy questions her. "You found your soulmate, you should be thrilled!"

Soulmates are a thing of myth, Lucy and Bonnie learned about them as young girls and spent countless hours fantasizing about meeting their soulmates and living happily ever after. They're not girls anymore and Bonnie has already come to see the mark as a heavy burden.

"Honestly, Bee If I were you," Lucy continues. "I would be doing a locator spell and racing to meet him!"

Bonnie doesn't respond.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Lucy asks in a much more sympathetic voice.

"I should feel happy," Bonnie confesses quietly. This should be seen as an achievement, another proof that she is the prodigy the witch council declared her to be when she was just a child, but she's not happy at all. "Lu," she says in an almost whisper. "I feel dread."

"Why?"

"I don't know, I just…" Bonnie can't really explain what she's feeling. "This is going to change everything and not in a good way, I think."

"You need to talk to Grams," Lucy advises. "She is the only one who can help you figure this out."

"I know."

 **X**

 **X**

Bonnie packs a duffel bag and drives to her grandmother's cottage that afternoon.

Sheila Bennett is a professor at Oxford University. She lives in a beautiful cottage surrounded by enchanting woods which Bonnie explored in depth as a child.

It takes her two hours to arrive but as soon as she gets out of the car, Bonnie knows she will be alright. A soft smile spreads across her face as she inhales the familiar scents of herbs and spices and feels the little jolts of magic greeting her.

 _Home_

Even after two years of living in London, nothing can replace this house, this feeling of serenity and belonging. From the moment she first arrived as a scared and lonely four-year-old, Bonnie has called this cottage home. As long as she is with Grams, she knows she will be okay.

"Hey Solomon," Bonnie crouches down and pets the black cat near the door. Solomon blinks lazily at her before curling himself into a ball and going back to sleep. "Nice to see you too, lazy cat." Bonnie smiles down at him before making her way inside the house.

 **X**

 **X**

An hour later, Bonnie gets the confirmation she has been dreading.

"It's definitely a soulmark." Sheila studies Bonnie's wrist. Her dark eyes are filled with wonder as she traces the letters with gentle fingers. "Soulmates are extremely rare," she murmurs. "It's been three hundred years since the last time a witch found her soulmate."

Bonnie bites her lower lip, feeling excited and scared and extremely curious all at once. "I don't know how it happened, I woke up today with it and-" she lets out a nervous puff of air.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"I'm worried Grams," Bonnie stares into her eyes and allows her fears to shine through. "I feel like something bad is going to happen."

Sheila nods. "I would be worried too if I were in your shoes."

That doesn't help to appease Bonnie at all. "I don't even know who he is, or how to find him, or what will happen now…"

Sheila releases her wrist and stares out of the window, deep in thought. There is a soft wind rattling the old glass and causing a small tornado with the different color leaves on the ground. Fall is the most beautiful time of the year in the cottage. "I recognize the name."

"What?"

Sheila turns to face her once more. "Oh Bonnie," she takes Bonnie's hand and squeezes her fingers. She looks really sad.

"What coven does he belong to?" Bonnie questions. "Is he from here or the U.S? How did you meet? Do you think he will try and contact me? What are we supposed to do now?"

Grams looks almost heartbroken.

"Grams you are scaring me," Bonnie tells her fearfully. "What are you not telling me?"

"He's not a witch Bonnie," Sheila takes a deep breath before uttering the words that change the course of Bonnie's life forever. "Niklaus Mikaelson is a vampire, an Original actually," Grams informs her. "He's also a werewolf."

"Wait…what?" Bonnie has heard about the Originals, a family who are the progenitors of the vampire race. Witches like to gossip about other supernatural creatures' affairs after all, but she's not familiar with their names, she didn't even know one of them was also a werewolf. "How?"

"The Original hybrid he is called," Grams tells her. "I met him over a decade ago, before I accepted the position at Oxford," she explains then. "He came to Mystic Falls in need of a favor."

Mystic Falls is the town of Bonnie's birth, is where she lived until her parents got divorced. After winning the bitter custody battle, Abby celebrated by shipping Bonnie off to England to live with her Grams while she traveled the world with her lover. Bonnie has not seen her since then and the last news she got of her father was that he remarried and had another child. She pushes any thoughts of her neglectful parents away and focuses on the information Grams has revealed to her. "The Original hybrid…" she mutters. The strange encounter from the day before hits her like lightning. "I saw him…" Bonnie gasps. _Damn it, Bonnie! How could you not connect the dots?_ She's such an idiot. The encounter with the vampire the day before was not coincidence at all. "Yesterday," she says. "I sensed a vampire when I was coming out of the library and my whole body reacted when I saw him, my magic was going crazy too and-"

Understanding flickers across Sheila's face. "That's what triggered the soulmark." She waves her hand and mutters a spell in Latin.

A leather-bound journal appears out of nowhere.

It floats above the kitchen table for a few seconds before landing slowly in front of Bonnie.

"Qetsiyah is the only witch in the Bennett bloodline to have found a soulmate," Grams reminds her. "His name was Silas and he was a very powerful warlock. They both became rather fascinated by the subject of soulmates and wrote about it." She points to the journal. "I think their writings will help you understand more about the soulmark and what it means for you…and for Klaus."

Bonnie stares at the book in front of her. "How can my soulmate be a vampire?" she asks. "A hybrid," she corrects herself quickly. "We're two different species." It doesn't make any sense. It shouldn't have happened. As far as she knows, it has never happened actually.

Sheila thinks about it for a moment before responding, "Werewolves have mates."

"So, you think that because of his werewolf side…"

"It's more complicated than that."

"What do you mean?"

"Klaus's mother was a witch," Grams tells her.

Bonnie's jaw nearly hits the floor. "How-"

"Bonnie listen to me," Grams takes her hand once more. "You have found your soulmate. It doesn't matter if he's a vampire or a wolf or both, what matters is that you and him are destined to be together and now that you have found each other, nothing will ever be the same again."

"But werewolves and witches can't be together!" Bonnie exclaims. "Neither vampires and witches! Relationships between different supernatural species are forbidden. You know that!" There are rules in place, ancient rules that all supernaturals abide to, it's how they keep the peace among the species. "What am I going to do Grams?" Bonnie feels like a child again. Something that should have brought her the greatest joy in the world is making her feel anxious and terrified of what's coming, because something is coming, she can _feel it_ in her bones'; and Bonnie's feelings are never wrong.

"We'll figure it out," Sheila promises.

Even though her grandmother is trying really hard to appear strong and reassure her that everything will be fine, Bonnie can feel how worried she is. Sheila, like Bonnie knows the soulmark is going to bring them trouble.

 **X**

 **X**

"Have you told anyone about this?"

"Just Lucy."

"Bonnie, you know Lucy can't keep any secrets."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think we had to keep it a secret."

"I'll talk to her." There is a serious look on Grams' face as she contemplates her. "For now, it's best if no one knows, least of all the council. We must keep this a secret. Do you understand?"

Bonnie nods.

Deep down she knows the witch council will not be pleased.

 **X**

 **X**

Tears roll down Bonnie's cheeks as she hides in her childhood bedroom. Not only is she the first witch in three hundred years to have a soulmate, she's also the only witch in the history of the world to be the soulmate of another species, the original hybrid no less.

 _Why me?_

She's always been the exception, all the way back to when she was six and the council tested her powers and declared her a prodigy.

This time around, the council won't be praising her talents, they will scorn her for betraying everything they stand for.

Bonnie looks down and reads the passage once more.

 _Soulmates are extremely rare, it is believed that they are two halves of the same soul who are destined to find each other at the right place, at the right time. Fate will always ensure that the two halves of the soul meet at the appropriate time._

"The appropriate time," Bonnie repeats wondering about the significance of meeting her soulmate two weeks before the night of All Hallows' Eve, which coincidentally will also fall on a Lunar eclipse. "Fate," she whispers. "What kind of plans do you have for me? For us?"

This is all too spooky to be coincidence.

Bonnie doesn't sleep that night.

She has too much on her mind.

 **X**

 **X**

"What will happen when the witch council finds out?" Bonnie asks her grandmother over breakfast the next morning.

Sheila pretends not to hear her. She places another pancake on her plate.

"Grams," Bonnie insists.

"Don't trouble yourself over that now." Sheila kisses her forehead.

Dread invades the pit of Bonnie's stomach.

 **X**

 **X**

Bonnie spends the rest of the day sitting in the garden, devouring Qetsiyah's writings and trying to figure out what she will do. Solomon keeps her company, nuzzling against her side and purring in delight when she scratches his head and ears.

Does her soulmate feel the same turmoil as her?

Does he care?

 _He must have my name on his skin,_ Bonnie thinks as she continues to pet Solomon. Grams' cat has always liked her best. He's really lazy and Lucy often calls him stupid but Bonnie likes his silent company. It's comforting. "Do you think he's thinking about me?" she asks Solomon.

The cat meows in response and snuggles against her.

 _If he met Grams before, he knows who I am, he probably even knows where I live, so why hasn't he come?_

 _And what the hell is she going to do if he shows up at her door?_

 _What will she say to him?_

 _What will they do?_

Bonnie can't help but wonder what he thinks of all this.

Soulmate bonds are unbreakable, there is no magic powerful enough to destroy fate's work. Which means, Bonnie and Niklaus will be bound together until their dying breaths. For him, time means nothing, he's immortal but for Bonnie, it means the rest of her life.

How is she going to spend the rest of her life tied to a creature like him?

 **X**

 **X**

The next day, Bonnie leaves her grandmother's house. Sheila wants her to stay but Bonnie has too many responsibilities to attend to. She is in her second year of college and has a part time job she can't keep calling out from. The world is not stopping just because she got a soulmate. It might feel like the world she knows is crumbling around her but life goes on.

"Be careful," Grams says, hugging her a little too tightly and kissing her on the cheek.

"I'll be fine," Bonnie promises, all the while wishing she could stay and hide in the cottage forever.

Grams touches her cheek and gives her a knowing look.

Bonnie has never been able to fool her.

Sheila loves her and respects her too much not to call her out on her lie though.

 **X**

 **X**

She's driving away from the cottage when a figure appears in the middle of the road.

"What he hell?" the tires of her car screech loudly as she comes to an abrupt stop. Her heart nearly leaps out of her chest and she rushed out of the vehicle without thinking, worried that she just ran someone over.

There is no one on the ground.

Bonnie frowns before letting out a scream when a hand grabs the back of her neck and slams her face against the hood of the car. Pain slams through her face and all the way down her neck and shoulders.

Her magic reacts instinctively and sends her attacker flying away as if he weights nothing.

Telekinesis has always been her most active power.

Bonnie turns around and sees two blurs coming towards her.

She raises her left hand and paralyzes them both before they can attack her.

Vampires.

She's still on Bennett land, there should be no vampires roaming around this area.

Bonnie feels dizzy but she manages to snap their necks with a flick of her wrist. She lets out a breath of relief, and touches the back of her neck, it still hurts. She probably has finger shaped bruises on her skin. There is blood on the side of her face and down her nose too. She can't really open her left eye, it's swollen shut. "Damn it," she curses under her breath. The force the vampire used to slam her against the car was brutal, she'll be lucky if she didn't break her nose.

Bonnie is still assessing the damage to her face when she feels that cold dread creeping through her bones.

The vampire she sent flying off is back.

He grabs her by the hair and slams her to the ground.

 _Agony_

It's the only way Bonnie can describe the pain that invades her entire body. She cries out when his heavy body falls on top of her, pinning her with his weight against the pavement. He holds her arms above her head and digs his nails into her flesh.

Bonnie hisses in pain.

"I can't wait to taste you," the vampire hisses and grinds his hips into hers.

Bonnie chokes back a sob.

"You smell so good," the vampire licks the side of her neck, rubbing himself against her once more.

Bonnie whimpers and a few tears slid down her cheeks. He's really heavy and she feels so dizzy and out breath, she's afraid she'll pass out. She's in too much shock and pain to think clearly but that doesn't mean she's defenseless. Her magic reacts to her distress and is ready to pounce and destroy when the vampire is suddenly lifted off her.

Relief crawls over her body, Bonnie can finally breathe again.

There is a ferocious growl behind her.

"Who sent you!" An accented voice demands.

"You can't keep her a secret!" the vampire responds in a low growl. "Many more will come for her sweet blood." His words are followed by a choking sound.

Bonnie coughs blood and has to rely on her magic to dull the pain on her face before slowly pulling herself into a sitting position. With her one good eye, she manages to see the vampire that attacked her. He's on his knees, fear written all over his pale features, he's gasping and making some really awful sounds. Bonnie suddenly realizes that there is a hand protruding from his chest. Said hand, rips the vampire's spine out before swiftly decapitating him.

Bonnie gasps, horrified fascination follows as she sees the headless body drop to the ground, right next to the spine, while the head rolls somewhere under her car.

For a couple of moments, the only sound is her ragged breathing and erratic heartbeat.

Her vision blurs just as her savior takes a step towards her, she can't really see his face well, but _she knows_ , her magic knows who he is. The soulmark on her wrist tingles too.

 _Niklaus_

He came for her.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?"

A gentle hand touches her swollen face.

He's pissed.

Bonnie can feel the anger rolling off him in waves. She whimpers, feeling overwhelmed by his close proximity and emotions. Her head slumps down and her body nearly dissolves into an exhausting puddle. She has never fought vampires before, she has never fought anyone really. And her face really hurts, the blow was far more damaging than she first suspected.

Darkness threatens to consume her.

She's vaguely aware of strong arms cradling her gently against a hard chest. Bonnie catches a swift of his cologne and an earthly scent that is all his...all male...all powerful...

She sighs contently, feeling relieved and safe in his arms.

 _A witch feeling safe in a vampire's arms?_

The world must be truly upside down.

As Bonnie loses herself in the dark waters of unconsciousness, she could swear she feels the ghost of his breath against her neck. His stubble tickles her skin as he breaths her scent and nuzzles her neck. _Is she imagining things or did he just purred?_ She's far too exhausted to dwell on it.

"Drink," he commands while pressing his wrist to her mouth.

Bonnie leans back against him and opens her lips without hesitation.

She drifts off with the feel of his arms around her body and the taste of his unique blood on her tongue.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N** : Thank you so much to everyone who has followed, favored, and reviewed this story. All your support means the world to me. This is going to be a little bit longer than the three parts I envisioned at first but it's still going to be a very short fic. I truly hope you enjoy the ride. Let me know what you think ;). _

* * *

_Bonnie Bennett_

Klaus Mikaelson stares at the name inked on his skin, wishing it would disappear with a blink of his eyes. It doesn't happen of course and his jaw clenches painfully.

Soulmates are a rare thing; almost a myth even.

Klaus has certainly heard all kinds of tales throughout his one thousand years on earth. He even came across a soulmate pair while living in Vienna many centuries ago.

 _A soulmate bond is unbreakable,_ the man had told him proudly.

While Klaus had been curious about the bond itself and how it affected the pair individually; his naïve little sister had fantasized about finding her own soulmate.

 _It's impossible for vampires to have soulmates,_ he had retorted.

 _You don't know that for sure, Nik._

 _We're soulless creatures love, don't ever forget that._

Witches bonded through marriage and if they were lucky enough, they found their soulmates. Something which hadn't happened in nearly three centuries as far as he knew.

Werewolves for their part, mated for life.

But vampires…

Certain blood bonds and sire bonds could be formed but no vampire in the history of their race had ever found an equal, a mate like the ones other species had; and definitely not a soulmate. Vampires were abominations of nature, damned creatures who in the eyes of other species did not have the ability to truly love someone.

And yet, here he stands with the name of _his soulmate_ written on his wrist.

 _Fate is a bitch,_ Klaus thinks bitterly. He doesn't want or need a soulmate. It shouldn't even be possible…witches marry witches, wolves mate with other wolves, and vampires always find other vampire companions to share their immortal lives with.

 _I'm a vampire,_ he insists. _I can't have a witch for a soulmate._

 _You were born a witch_ , his mind supplies. _There is magic in your blood, don't forget that._

Still, this should not be possible.

But it is.

For as much as he wishes the name gone, deep down he knows the truth.

He can feel it to his very core.

While his fingers continue to trace the letters, Klaus can't help but recall the jolt he felt when he laid eyes on her. Her power had been startling and the pretty shocked face that had stared at him across the street had forever been burned on his mind.

 _Bonnie Bennett_

Young, beautiful, and already regarded as a prodigy by her kind.

The Bennett name carried a lot of weight in the supernatural world and many of Bonnie's ancestors had made a name for themselves with their incredible abilities.

The irony is not lost on him. He, the most powerful creature to walk the earth is now bound to the most powerful witch bloodline the world has ever seen.

Why?

 _Why him?_

 _Why them?_

 _What games is fate playing?_

 **X**

 **X**

Klaus goes to the only person in the world he trusts, his brother Elijah. While the rest of their siblings have scattered all over the world, Elijah has always remained close to him. To keep his temper in check, or to keep him company, or simply because they have always been as thick as thieves, Elijah has always been there for him and this time it's no exception.

"Fascinating," he murmurs while tracing the letters with his fingertips. "But you are not pleased," Elijah is quick to note.

"How could I possibly be pleased about this?" Klaus pulls away from his brother and begins pacing around the room. He has a soulmate, a witch, and not just any witch but a fucking Bennett witch. This is going to bring all kinds of problems to both of them. His mind hasn't stop racing with all the possibilities, with all the terrible things that can happen from now on, specially the things that can happen to her.

Elijah takes a seat on the sofa and calmly drinks his tea.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Klaus curses under his breath. "My enemies are going to see this as weakness to exploit."

"You need to stop being so paranoid, Niklaus."

"Easy for you to say!"

Elijah watches him with amusement.

"What do you think the council is going to do about this?"

"Since when do you care what the witch council thinks or does?" Elijah retorts with a raised eyebrow.

Klaus rolls his eyes and flops down on the chair across from him. "I could care less about the council but…" he trails off and avoids his brother's eyes. The turmoil inside him is evident, he can't even bother to mask it.

"You're worried."

"I'm forever bound to a witch…" Klaus says defensively.

"You've always had a thing for witches," Elijah points out.

Klaus remains silent.

Elijah studies him quietly. "You're worried _for her_."

Klaus avoids his eyes once more. "This…" he pauses, searching for the right words. "Complicates things."

"Indeed."

The intermingling of species is forbidden, it's a silent law all supernatural creatures abide to in order to keep the peace. It makes things easier for everybody. The world is big enough that vampires, witches, and werewolves can control their own territories without problem. In cities like London, Paris, and New York things tend to get more complicated as the chances of running into each other are greater but still, if everyone sticks to their lane things always turn out fine. Tension has always surrounded the different supernatural species in the world; a soulmate bond between a witch and a vampire, even an original could be the catalyst for a war if they're not careful...or the beginning of a new era if they play their cards right.

"There is nothing the council can do," Elijah tells him after a couple of moments in silence. "They won't be pleased, certainly." The council has a thing for wanting to control witches after all. "But a soulmate bond is unbreakable, not even the council will be able to keep you away from her. This is beyond their control."

"They will still try," Klaus mutters darkly. "And it's not just the council, I've made many enemies, she will be the perfect target. They will use her to get to me."

"Perhaps," Elijah concedes. "But it will be a fool's errand." He stands up and walks towards his brother, stopping right in front of him. "I think a better question is, what do you want?"

 **X**

 **X**

He wants to see her.

From the moment he woke up with her name scribbled on his wrist, Klaus felt the strong urge to seek her out.

 _Bonnie Bennett_

The name rolls off his tongue with surprising familiarity.

She's a stranger, he only gazed upon her once and yet, he feels like he has known her since forever.

Sitting in the darkness of a local pub, he contemplates seeking her out. One phone call is all it would take for his people to find out every little detail of her life. He could easily take her away from London and lock her up in one of his countless safe houses. And then what?

 _What do you want?_

Elijah's question comes back to haunt him.

 _Does he want to keep Bonnie Bennett lock up? Hidden away from his enemies and the council?_

Sheila Bennett would no doubt have his head if he dared to do that.

His lips curl at the memory of the old Bennett witch.

 _How long has it been since the last time he saw the Bennett matriarch?_

Fifteen, no maybe sixteen years, or more, he's not really sure.

Klaus shakes his head, wincing internally with the realization that he had probably come within close proximity of Bonnie herself all those years ago when he visited Mystic Falls. He suddenly feels grateful that he didn't run into her when she was still a child. It's interesting to note however, how intertwined their families, their histories have always been. It's almost as if fate has been working on this from the beginning of time itself.

Klaus snorts.

He's never been one to believe in prophecies or destiny.

 _But this is not coincidence is it?_

 **X**

 **X**

It takes two bottles of whiskey for him to give in and seek her out. The sooner he does this, the better or at least that's what he tells himself in order to calm the strange nervousness in the pit of his stomach. It's ridiculous to feel nervous, he's not some green boy going on a first date.

 _What does Bonnie think of all this?_

 _Is she as anxious to meet as him?_

 _Or is she wary of his nature?_

Something tells him to go to Oxford, he just knows that she will be there.

In reality, Klaus is not thinking clearly, he's merely following his instincts.

He feels like an idiot while standing outside her grandmother's cottage. Bonnie is inside, he can feel her. It's almost as if she's an extension of him; the echo of her emotions lingers in his blood as well. There is a lot of confusion, a lot of fear and uncertainty but there is also a strange sense of peace; of belonging. It's clear that Bonnie feels at home at the cottage, she feels safe with her grandmother.

He has to fight the urge to storm inside.

There is a boundary spell surrounding the property, not to mention that he hasn't really decided what to do with her yet.

Klaus growls, hands clenching at his sides.

The need to see her is all consuming.

 _Is she fighting it as he is?_

 _Is it always going to be like this?_

 _Has the beast finally been chained?_

He should have known better than to let his emotions get the best of him.

He's not ready; he doesn't want to see her, not yet. Not until he can figure out what to do with her.

He's suddenly speeding through the woods around the house, running away from her. He needs to put distance between them, he needs it in order to clear his head. _What is he going to do with a witch for a soulmate anyway?_ Sure, having a witch by his side could be beneficial in certain situations but the thought of Bonnie feeling his emotions, learning his deepest darker secrets or having the ability to track him down and get inside his head makes him anxious. He doesn't like the idea of anyone having that kind of power over him; she could use it against him.

Klaus comes to an abrupt stop and squeezes his eyes shut.

He can practically taste her emotions on his tongue.

 _Anger mixed with fear._

Klaus curses under his breath. He doesn't even hesitate when he turns around and heads back towards the cottage at the speed of light.

Bonnie needs him and that is all that matters.

He arrives just in time to pull the vampire off her.

Fury laces his veins.

 _She's mine,_ vampire and wolf are in full accordance in that moment.

Bonnie Bennett belongs to him and anyone who dares touch her will die.

 **X**

 **X**

Klaus kills the vampire and doesn't hesitate to feed Bonnie his blood, closing his eyes and suppressing a moan when her mouth sucks on his wrist.

There is a thrill, a hidden desire that lurks on the surface of his consciousness and he has to stills himself.

It's dangerous.

She has too much power over him already.

When Bonnie has taken her fill and falls unconscious in his arms, he hesitates. He doesn't know what to do.

Sheila Bennett's cottage is close; he can easily carry Bonnie there and leave her in her grandmother's care.

It's the easiest thing to do.

It's what he should do.

 _But what if there is another attack?_

Sheila is a powerful witch, surely, she can defend her granddaughter.

 _But what if she can't keep Bonnie safe?_

 _What if more vampires come?_

Klaus growls and takes off at vampire speed, Bonnie safely in his arms.

The scent of honey and flowers hits his nostrils as does the scent of dried blood.

Bonnie's powerful witch blood.

Klaus licks his lips, fangs itching to come out and taste the delicious elixir that is her blood.

He has never had the pleasure of feeding from a Bennett witch.

 _But you can now,_ a sinister part of him whispers. _She's yours_.

He doesn't of course; he's perfectly capable of controlling his urges. Feeding from her while she's unconscious is not a good way to start this…whatever this will be.

He takes her to his home.

Bonnie belongs with him.

 **X**

 **X**

When lays her gently on the bed, Klaus is struck by how young she is. Humans are deceptive when it comes to their ages but there is no denying that Bonnie is still relatively young. That strange feeling inside him (the soulbond or his own curiosity) he can't really tell at that precise moment-has him hovering over her and tracing her cheek with his knuckles. His fingertips burn for he can feel the power under her caramel skin. He allows himself a moment of pride; he is bonded to an incredibly powerful witch-she held her own against the vampires that attacked her after all. Not to mention that her lineage is legendary.

Despite his reservations, satisfaction blooms inside his chest.

Together they could rule the world and no one would be able to stand in their way.

The current of excitement he feels with that thought makes his blood sing.

 _Don't get carried away,_ a cautious part of his brain warns. _This is a double edge sword._

"What am I going to do with you?" he whispers, leaning down until their faces are almost touching.

 _I should have left her with her grandmother._

 _No, she belongs with me._

Klaus pulls away from her, feeling at war with himself.

With one last lingering look, he exits the room.

Bonnie continues to sleep peacefully.

 **X**

 **X**

"How in the world did word spread so quickly?" Elijah wonders, a hint of anger noticeable in his otherwise controlled voice. The originals are at the top of the vampire hierarchy and this attack could be considered a declaration of war. "How would those vampires even know about your soulmate?" He hadn't told a soul and he knew his brother well enough to know he hadn't told anyone else.

"The book of witches." Klaus takes a sip of his whiskey, enjoying the burning sensation down his throat. He needs to keep calm. He needs to keep things under control. "The book records the important events in the witch world…births, deaths, marriages…"

"And it would no doubt record that a witch found her soulmate."

"Indeed."

"What of the rogue vampires that attacked her?" Elijah questions. "Do you know anything about them?"

"I did not recognize them," Klaus responds. "But they alluded that more would come for her."

Elijah frowns.

"Someone in the witch council must be their friend," Klaus theorizes. "Getting to her is the easiest way to get to me." He hates it. The soulbond puts a target on both of their heads; and even though Bonnie is a witch, she's still human and much more vulnerable to his enemies' attacks.

"I will find out who is behind the attack," Elijah promises. "And I will deal with them accordingly." He gives his brother a pointed look. "You need to talk to her and figure out where to go from here."

Klaus thinks of the witch sleeping in his bed. For better or for worse, they are stuck together. Now that word is spreading about their soulbond, he needs to make sure she's safe.

"No harm will come to her, brother."

Klaus nods.

Anyone who dares to hurt his soulmate will feel his wrath.

 **X**

 **X**

The moment Bonnie wakes up, he knows.

The sun is going down and Elijah is long gone by then.

Klaus has been left alone with his troubled thoughts. He's sitting close to the window, sketching. The house is quiet and dark for he hasn't turn any lights on. He prefers the solitude the night brings, it helps him to think.

His hand stills over the paper when he hears her sharp intake of breath. He can vividly imagine the confusion that must be written all over her face upon waking up on a strange bed. He eyes the cell phone on the table next to him. She has a couple of missed calls and a few texts. Thankfully, no one seems to have noticed her disappearance just yet. He considered crushing the phone and locking her up or taking her out of the country even. It would have been easy to do while she was unconscious but he abstained from it; that's not a good way to start things.

He takes his time before making his way to the bedroom; almost wishing she had slept until tomorrow but he can't prolong the inevitable.

Klaus actually takes an unnecessary deep breath before opening the door.

He finds her standing in the middle of the room, her back is to him and he takes a moment to admire the shape of her hips. She's a pretty little thing, his witch.

Bonnie turns to face him, eyes wide and uncertain.

The erratic pounding of her heart echoes around the room as they come face to face.

She's nervous, a bit afraid even; he can smell it. But she does her best to mask it; lifting her chin proudly and looking directly into his eyes.

She's not easily intimidated and that pleases him.

"You-" Bonnie gasps, an array of emotions flickering across her face. She clearly wishes to say more but can't seem to find the right words.

Klaus stares into her eyes and casually leans his shoulder against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest. Despite the turmoil inside him and the tingling on his wrist (where her name is engraved) he is the perfect picture of calm and composure. He greets her with a smirk. "Hello, love."

"Niklaus."

A shiver runs down his spine with the husky way she whispers his full name.

Klaus licks his lips.

Bonnie swallows hard.

The earth stands still as two halves of the same soul come together at last.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** _I had so much fun writing this chapter. Hope you guys like it!_

* * *

Seconds tick by as the two soulmates contemplate each other. There are so many things on their minds but neither of them is willing to break the ice.

Finally, the silence becomes too much, and Bonnie clears her throat. "You saved me."

Niklaus nods and steps further into the room.

Bonnie backs away, a knee-jerk reaction. His name might be inked on her wrist but that doesn't mean she _knows_ him or _trusts_ him. He's a vampire and she's a witch after all.

He stops, watching her carefully. He notices the tense set of her shoulders and the way her green eyes dart around the room, searching for an escape. "I'm not going to hurt you, love."

Bonnie shivers, his accent and the way he is looking at her has stomach doing flip flops. "You're a vampire-"

"A hybrid actually," he replies with a sly smirk.

Bonnie frowns. "A vampire and a wolf and your mother was a witch," she recalls what Grams told her.

He arches an eyebrow and gives her a curious look. "You seem to be well informed about me."

"My Grams told me things," Bonnie responds. "You met her back in Mystic Falls."

"I did."

They regard each other quietly once more.

It's like walking on eggshells, neither of them seem to want to say the wrong thing. It makes Bonnie anxious, she's not sure how to act around him, or even what to make of him. "Those vampires that attacked me-"

"Are dead," Niklaus interrupts with a slight growl.

Bonnie feels a tingle when she hears him growl. She shouldn't find him so sexy but there is just something about him, maybe it's a vampire thing or maybe even a soulmate thing but she feels drawn to him. "Why did they come for me?" her voice is slightly breathless as her eyes move from his face and focus on his lips.

"To get to me, perhaps."

He doesn't seem like he is going to elaborate.

"So, you're not sure," Bonnie murmurs thoughtfully. She nearly groans when he licks his lips. _For fuck's sake Bonnie, get a grip!_

His eyes narrow. "I didn't say that," he snaps.

They lock eyes once more. She pretends not to notice the way his eyes slid over her body and she also prays he doesn't heart he way her heart is hammering against her chest. Bonnie decides to focus on his arm instead. She can't help but be disappointed that his jacket covers his wrist. Almost as if reading her mind, he rolls the sleeve of his leather jacket and shirt, Bonnie's breath catches in her throat. He shows her his wrist, where her named is inked across his pale skin- _Bonnie Bennett._ There is no denying it, they are bound together. She knew that of course, but there was a tiny part of her- _of rebellion_ -that hoped it was all a big mistake. Bonnie looks down at her own wrist, where Niklaus' name is and sighs. "How can this be possible?" she whispers more to herself. "This goes against everything I have ever known."

"Disappointed?"

Bonnie looks up into his eyes. There is a hint of something there but she's not sure how to interpret it, so she stays quiet.

"Where you expecting some powerful warlock to be your mate?" His lips curl into a snarl. "A high-ranking member of the council, perhaps?" he takes a step closer, eyes glinting maliciously. "Or a pathetically weak human boy to have children with and grow old together and all that ridiculous sentimentally all humans possess…" he rolls his eyes.

"Ridiculous sentimentality?" she repeats.

"Don't flatter yourself into thinking that the soul bond is going to make this an epic romance," he warns her.

"Obviously," Bonnie snaps angrily. "I certainly wasn't expecting an arrogant jack ass as a soulmate."

His lips twitch at her response. She wonders if he actually means what he says or if he's testing her somehow.

"Don't get any ideas sweetheart, this is not a fairytale."

He takes a step closer and Bonnie takes a step back.

"I'm not some prince charming who will make undying declarations of love and promise you a happily ever after."

"You think all girls dream about a prince charming?" Bonnie scoffs and forces herself to stop backing away from him. She is not going to let him keep intimidating her.

"Don't they?"

"Not me," Bonnie stands her ground. "And clearly fate…" she glances at his wrist once more. "…Or whatever force that drives the soul bond made a terrible mistake." He is handsome but he's also arrogant and a jerk and she can't believe she's supposed to spend the rest of her life bound to someone like him.

"I quite agree with that."

The disappointment she feels at his remark has her looking away and fuming silently. _What did you expect?_ She chides herself. He's a vampire, she's a witch this is not meant to be. _But a soul bond is unbreakable…_ her mind counters. _That doesn't mean we have to love each other and be happy together,_ she thinks sadly. Bonnie shakes away all those thoughts and takes a deep breath. "Thank-you, for saving me." It he had not come at the nick of time; she would have ended up dead so the least she can do is thank him.

With determined steps she makes her way to the door.

He blocks her right away. "Where do you think you're going?" his voice is dangerously low.

"Home," Bonnie responds simply. She tries to walk by him but he blocks her once more. _What is wrong with him? "_ Move," she hisses in annoyance.

"You were attacked by rogue vampires who knew where to find you-"

"So?"

"So," he repeats his eyes glinting angrily. "They probably know where you live, which means there might be more vampires waiting for you, so they can finish what they started."

"I can take care of myself," she lifts her chin proudly.

He chuckles. "Like you did at your grandmother's cottage?"

Bonnie glares at him. "I was doing fine before you came along-"

"I saved your ass!"

"And I thanked you for it, you jerk." _What else is he expecting form her?_ She glares at him. "Now get out of my way!" She doesn't want to be near him anymore, she wants to go home and sleep and pretend all this never happened.

When he doesn't move an inch, Bonnie's frustration and anger get the best of her. She uses her magic without thinking and tosses him out of the way; slamming his body right against the dresser.

The attack is unexpected and catches him completely off guard.

Bonnie takes off running out of the room and down the corridor and down the spiral staircase. Her heart is pounding in her ears and she is out of breath by the time she makes it to the last step. She can see the front door, _almost there,_ she thinks joyfully. The victory is short lived because as she runs to the front door, she collides with a solid wall.

Bonnie gasps and stumbles back but right before she falls on her butt, strong hands grab her by the arms. Her stomach sinks and she blinks rapidly, his furious face coming into focus. He's looming over her, face inches way from hers with eyes shining like gold. Bonnie can hardly breathe; he is so close their noses are nearly bumping and their breaths are mingled. She can practically feel the anger radiating off him in waves.

"I must admit, that was quite impressive," he tells her icily.

Bonnie swallows hard. He's pissed and his eyes, dear God, his eyes have lost their blue hue and are two bright golden pools. _How can someone have yellow eyes? Is it because of what he is?_ Unable to hold his gaze, she glances at his lips. It's a big mistake. It's a sin for a man to have such kissable lips. She takes a quick swift of his cologne and her knees grow weak. _Damn it! Snap out of it!_ "Let me go!" she begins to struggle, trying to break free. "Get your hands off me!" she hates the way her heart is pounding so loud and how her body is trembling with his closeness. She can't allow herself to feel attracted to him.

"Stop fighting, _child_."

"I'm not a child!" Bonnie hits his chest hard or she think she hits him hard, cause the jerk doesn't even flinch. She winces because it hurts. _What the hell is his chest made of? Bricks?_ Her cheeks burn with the sudden thought of his naked chest _._ _Damn it, Bonnie. Stop it._ What is wrong with her? This is not the moment to be having such thoughts.

"Then stop acting like one."

"Let me go!" She summons her magic but to her surprise she is unable to push him away. She shivers, feeling slightly dizzy.

She hit him with a solid punch of power before but is now unable to replicate it because unlike last time, her emotions are not controlling her magic.

Bonnie curses loudly.

"Just because you caught me off guard the first time, doesn't mean I will let it happen again." He grins when he sees her struggling to push him away. "I'm not like the vampires you fought earlier today."

No, he's much older and powerful which means she is going to have to summon more power to push him away and that is going to make her nose bleed and give him time to recover and stop her from escaping.

There is only one thing left to do then.

If she can't use her magic, she'll use her self-defense skills.

Bonnie knees him between the legs and punches his nose with all her strength.

The shock of her attack, has him stumbling back and letting go of her arms.

Bonnie cries out in pain because she's pretty sure she broke her hand in the process but she's free. It's all that matters.

She runs out of the house; adrenaline pumping her veins and giving her the strength to push through whatever pain she feels in her hand.

She doesn't look back.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

Bonnie ends up in the forest surrounding the property.

She doesn't know where she is or where she's heading but she's out of the house and away from him and that is all that matters.

It's dark outside, the moon barely illuminating her steps.

It's cold too.

He took her jacket off after he saved her, so she's shivering uncontrollably cause her sweater is not enough to keep her warm.

Her hand hurts a lot.

Bonnie flexes her fingers and breathes with relief, _not broken_ that's good.

She slows down; eyes darting through the trees half expecting him to show up and stop her from escaping. When she doesn't see him, she begins walking more calmly. She's not sure where the house is located, she doesn't have her phone either, so she can't call Lucy or Grams and on top of all that she's pretty sure he can track her because of the soul bond. _It's how he saved her from the vampires isn't it?_ He must have sensed her somehow or had he been stalking her. Neither of those options make her happy.

Tears form in her eyes, from the cold, the pain on her hand or the frustration she feels, she's not sure. She wishes she had stayed at the cottage with her grandmother. She could have avoided all of this.

 _Is not like you can avoid him forever,_ her mind supplies. _He's your soulmate._

 _Why?_

 _Why did she have to be bound to someone like him?_

 _What the hell is fate playing at?_

Bonnie struggles to catch her breath and leans back against a tree, closing her eyes, and suppressing another shiver. She can't wait to get home, take a long hot shower, and climb into bed so she can forget about this horrible day.

"You're going to freeze to death."

Bonnie screams and nearly falls to the ground.

He's standing in front of her, a stupid smirk on his face.

Her first instinct is to run away from him once more but he materializes in front of her right away, trapping her between the tree and his body.

"Are we going to keep this up all night?" he is looking down at her, eyes glinting mischievously. "I do love a good cat and mouse game…" he inches closer, until he is obscenely close to her.

Bonnie presses her back completely against the tree in a failed attempt to get away but their bodies are still touching. _Doesn't he know anything about personal space?_ "How did you find me?" her voice comes in a breathless whisper.

"I will always find you."

"Because of the soul bond?"

He nods.

 _It must work both ways,_ she vaguely thinks. It's hard to concentrate when his hard and lean body is pressed against hers, when those blue eyes are watching her so intently, and when that aura of power and sexiness is drowning her.

"How is your hand?"

"…what…" it takes a couple of seconds to process his question. When he chuckles, she feels her face heat up with embarrassment. Bonnie looks down and stares at her right hand. Funny, it doesn't hurt at all anymore. _Did he hypnotized her and made the pain go away?_ She clenches her hand into a fist. "It doesn't hurt anymore." It hurt a lot after she punched him but the pain is completely gone now.

"The perks of having original hybrid blood pumping through your veins."

Bonnie looks up startled. "Your blood did this?"

"Obviously."

She licks her lips unconsciously, remembering the way he had cradled her body into his chest and fed her his blood after the attack. She lets out a shocked gasp when he traces her cheek with his index finger. Her heart is about to explode and her entire face is in flames. She feels like a deer caught in the headlights.

His touch is surprisingly gentle as he cradles her face. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?"

He's watching her so intensely that Bonnie has no choice but to look away, face burning.

He pulls his hand away and she feels relieved.

"Let's go back inside before you turn into a Popsicle."

"I need to go home."

He gives her an exasperated look. "Am I speaking a foreign tongue, it isn't safe for you-"

"I have a job," she cuts him off. "I have school, I can't stay here. I need to go." She needs to get away from him and clear her head.

"It's not safe, more vampires will come for you."

"You don't know that for sure."

"You think they will stop?" he laughs. "You clearly don't know _my kind."_

"I'm not some defenseless little girl!" Bonnie yells angrily. "I'm a witch, a damn Bennett witch. I can take care of myself. I have Grams and Lucy and a whole other bunch of aunts who won't hesitate to help me if needed too."

"What about the soul bond?"

"What about it?" Bonnie challenges.

"Aren't you curious? Don't you have questions?"

Bonnie chews on her lower lip. She has plenty of questions and is definitely curious not just about the soul bond but also about him. "It's not like you won't be able to find me," she mutters in a rather defensive voice. "Look, I have homework to do okay, I don't want to stay here."

"Why not?" he moves closer.

"I already told you-"

"What are you afraid of?"

Bonnie gasps when he presses himself against her once more. "Jesus Christ!" she pushes against his chest with both of her hands. "Haven't you heard of something call personal space?" she tries to push him away but he doesn't budge. She looks into his face; he's smirking down at her, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

"Your heart is beating so rapidly…" he notes. "It's starting to give me a headache, honestly."

"You're giving me a headache!" In trying to disentangle herself from him, she trips and nearly fall. He catches her of course, vampire reflexes and all. He wraps an arm around her waist, nearly lifting her from the ground as he presses her complete against him. Her chest is tightly pressed against his chest which means he can hear and feel every treacherous beat of her wild heart. She doesn't have a choice but to place her hands on his shoulders and stare into his face. Her eyes betray her because they land right on his lips and she finds herself unable to look away. The cold is long forgotten as her body experiences an intense heat wave that warms her all the way down to her toes. She feels like she's making a fool of herself but she can't help it. She's never been so attracted or confused by a guy before.

He's looking down at her with an almost hungry look on his face.

Bonnie gasps when she sees a hint of gold in his eyes.

The attraction is not one sided, he feels it too.

But he's definitely better at hiding it.

 _But is it real? Or is this created by the soul bond?_

She stares into his eyes and opens her mouth to speak but the words die on her throat because he leans down at that precise moment, face merely centimeters away from hers. "What are you doing to me?" she whispers softly. There is a part of her that wonders what it would be like to kiss him and there is another part, that wants to push him away completely and never see his face.

"What are you doing _to me_?" he wonders back.

Their bodies are aligned together, their lips are inches away from each other, and the moon is cascading down on them, wrapping them in an electric current that neither seem to want to break from.

It's a torturous couple of seconds.

The moment is interrupted however, by the ringing of his phone.

He lets go of her gently.

Bonnie leans back against the tree, feeling equally relieved and embarrassed. _Can the earth open up and swallow her whole please?_

"Elijah."

His voice is calm and composed.

Bonnie peeks one eye open, feeling her heart drop to her stomach. Niklaus is speaking in a strange language but his eyes are on her. He has not taken his eyes away from her since he stopped her from falling. She holds his intense gaze. He says something more in that foreign language before hanging up.

"Let's go back inside."

"I already told you-"

"I know who sent those vampires after you."

Bonnie frowns. "Is that what that call was about?" she wonders suddenly. "Was it that Elijah guy? Is he behind this?"

He laughs merrily. "My brother would be deeply offended if he knew you were accusing him of such cowardly act."

"You have a brother?"

"Three actually," something flashes across his eyes, a memory long buried. "Four," he whispers suddenly. "I used to have four brothers."

The sadness that flashes across his eyes is gone so quickly that she wonders if she imagined it.

"My brother Elijah managed to find some valuable information that we should discuss," he motions towards a dirt covered path. "Let's go back inside, it's dark and cold and the last thing we need is for your fragile human body to get sick."

"I'm not a fragile human," Bonnie snaps angrily. She doesn't want to go anywhere with him but she is curious about the vampires that attack her. Not to mention, that she would really appreciate getting her jacket and her phone back. "We'll discuss whatever information your brother found out and then I'm going home. Is that clear?"

He seems amused by her.

"Niklaus, this isn't a joke. I'm going home after we talk. Do you understand?"

"Nik."

"What?"

"Niklaus is the name my father gave me, Klaus is the name my enemies use," he tells her with a smirk. "You can call me Nik." With that he turns and begins walking back towards the house.

Bonnie has no choice but to follow him. "Niklaus or Nik, whatever. Don't try to distract me." She catches up to him. "I'm only going back inside so you can tell me what your brother found out then I'm going home cause I have a paper to write and-"

"And a job and a life to live blah blah blah…" he dismisses her easily.

"You're annoying you know that?"

"No more than you love."

Bonnie makes a face. "If you think you'll boss me around, you have another thing coming. I have no intention of doing whatever the hell you want."

Nik glances over his shoulder, a smirk dancing on his lips. "You're going back inside the house, aren't you?" she opens her mouth with a retort but he cuts her off. "Seems to me you are already doing whatever I want."

Bonnie growls at him. "You wish."

Nik winks before turning his back to her once more.

It's baffling. No vampire in his right mind would ever turn his back on a witch and here he is, walking in front of her and leading her to his house without a care.

Bonnie fumes silently; she almost turns the opposite way just to spite him but she's too curious, so she follows him back inside the house.

There is one thing that is absolutely certain though, just because he won this round, doesn't mean he will win the next one.

She will see to that.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

Once inside the house, Bonnie gets warm by sitting close to the fire. She needs to call Grams and let her know she's safe but she doesn't have her phone and is too prideful to ask him for it. She hopes Grams isn't too worried about her. She sighs and waits expectantly for Nik to talk. "Well, what did your brother find out?" The sooner they can get this over with, the sooner she'll get home.

"It seems the order to attack you was given by a master vampire who runs the London underworld."

Bonnie gives him a confused look. "London underworld? that's a thing?"

"Vampires, old vampires that is, tend to rule big cities. They usually have underlings who do their bidding but they control the ins and outs of the supernaturals living within their vicinity."

"Why would this vampire give the order to attack me?"

"He has a grudge against me."

"You're not the friendly kind, I take."

"I'm more of a lone wolf," Nik replies proudly.

"How would he even know where to find me?"

"The book of records."

"That's ridiculous!" Bonnie exclaims offended. "The book of records is heavily guarded no vampires could ever get their hands on that-"

"The council is a corrupt organization."

"You…that…" is a big accusation, an outrageous one at that. "How dare you make that kind of insinuation-"

"It's not an insinuation love, it's a fact."

Bonnie can't believe what she's hearing. "You're out of your mind."

"Spare me your self-righteousness," Nik hisses back. "Everyone knows the council is a controlling, archaic organization whose self-interest prevails over the good of its people. They do whatever they please and care very little for their community."

This is not the first time Bonnie has heard accusations against the council, she has plenty of family members who have spoken ill of the council and have complained about the lack of equality and fairness the high-ranking members of the council exhibit. It feels wrong to hear such things from Nik though. It's a witch thing, witch politics, he shouldn't be so involved or well informed in their affairs.

"There are plenty of council members who sell the council secrets to the highest bidder and believe when I tell you, vampires are willing to pay generous sums for those secrets."

"Are you one of those vampires?" Bonnie questions.

Nik chuckles. "I don't need to pay to be well informed."

"The rumors are true then…" Bonnie mumbles more to herself. For years, there have been whispers. There has been no proof but she and her Grams have heard plenty of things. "The Bennett family has a lot of influence in the supernatural world." She's not bragging, it's a fact that everyone knows. "If someone in the council told this vampire about our soul bond, he would have to know the vampires would use it for their own gain, and that it could put me in danger. Why would they risk attacking a Bennett witch?"

"A Bennett witch bound to an abomination of nature," Nik reminds her. "You think the council is happy about our bond?"

Bonnie shakes her head. "Of course not. Why would they be?"

"Exactly," Nik gives her a knowing look. "The council can't openly attack you, that would ignite a war because as you clearly stated, the Bennett witches are one of the most important witch families in the world. It's a risk they wouldn't take. However, they can facilitate the information to the vampires and let them do as they please."

"Who is this vampire? Do you know him?"

"Don't trouble yourself over that."

"But if he ordered those vampires to attack me, and he has so much power, he can order more vampires to come for me, or to attack my family-"

"Elijah will handled it."

"How? What is he going to do?"

Nik gives her a look.

Bonnie has the sense that she's missing something. "How will Elijah convince this vampire not to attack again?" She can't quite read the look on his face. "Why are you giving me that look?"

"That vampire won't see the light of day."

It finally dawns on Bonnie what he meant when he said, Elijah will handle it. "He's going to kill him?"

"Of course."

The way he says it, so matter of fact sends a chill down her spine. "Is that how vampires solve things?" she asks quietly.

"It's not like we can throw him in jail," Nik replies calmly. He studies her shocked face and sighs. "You saw what I did to those that attacked you." When she nods, he continues, "an attack against you, it's an attack against me, an attack against the Mikaelson family and that is a sin that can only be repaid with blood." His voice is gentle as he explains things to her. "We are the Originals, the progenitors of the vampire race and those who do not fall in line, meet a gruesome end. This is not something new, within every species there is a hierarchy. This vampire knew what he was getting into when he came for you. He was lucky to meet his end by my brother's hand, I'm sure it was quick. I would have prolonged his agony, _generosity_ is not something I'm known for."

Bonnie drops herself on the nearest chair.

"You look a little pale, sweetheart."

Bonnie looks up. "It's just…."

"You never had to deal with this kind of thing before."

Bonnie nods. "In the human world, in the witch world even, things are different." Witches can't execute their enemies, there are procedures, trials, ways to do things; all put in place by the council obviously. The council who is probably plotting ways to get rid of her. _No, they wouldn't dare, not all of them are corrupt right?_ She suddenly feels like the rug has been plucked from under her feet. Her whole world, everything she knew has crumbled to the ground.

There is a long moment of silence.

Nik gives her the space she needs to think, to process everything that is going on.

"Do you think…" Bonnie finally speaks after a while. "I mean, am I safe?" she asks him. "Or are more vampires coming after me…"

"I will make sure no vampire comes for you again," he promises. "I doubt the wolves would want to get involved in this, their self-preservation is too strong but even if they did, I'll keep them in line. The witches however…" he lets the sentence hang in the air.

"You believe the council will come for me?"

"You would know the answer to that better than me, love." He's watching her with that intensity that makes her heart flip. He's waiting for something.

"It's been like two hundred years since a witch found a soulmate and no witch has ever found a soulmate with a different species. There are rules in place, supernaturals are not supposed to mix…"

"And yet here we are."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew."

Bonnie stands up and begins pacing around the room. "What are we supposed to do, you're a vampire and I'm-"

"Hybrid," he corrects quickly.

"You're a hybrid, I'm a witch. You're immortal, I'm not. You will never age, but I will age and die eventually. I mean how is this even supposed to work? What are we going to do?" She's starting to get a headache thinking of all the obstacles in their way.

"You look like you need this." Nik hands her a glass of whiskey.

Bonnie takes it and drinks it in one go, enjoying the burning sensation down her throat.

"We'll figure it out."

"I don't want a soulmate," she blurts suddenly. "I never wanted one, when I was little I did, my cousin and I thought it was romantic but not anymore and you're definitely not what I dreamed or imagined and-" she's rambling but she doesn't care at this point.

"I never wanted a soulmate either," Nik admits. "But fate is a bitch and we're stuck together so might as well make the best of it, don't you think?" He refills her glass and gives her one of those sexy smirks of his.

Bonnie drinks the alcohol and sets the glass aside. "It's time for me to go home."

Nik gives her an exasperated look. "You'll be safer here."

"I told you I was going home after we talked," she replies stubbornly. "I'm going home now. Have a good night." She manages to make it to the door before he blocks her. "Seriously?" she crosses her arms over her chest. "You really want to do this again? Want another kick in the balls?"

Nik growls. "I have tolerated your insolence long enough," he hisses. "Just because one threat has been eliminated doesn't mean you're safe. We have more enemies than you think, this house is safe, and you will stay here until we eliminated all threats against you."

"You're out of your fucking mind."

"This is not negotiable, Bonnie."

"Get out of the way or I swear-"

He doesn't give her a chance to finish. He picks her up and throws her over his shoulder.

"Nik!" Bonnie screeches as her sense of gravity completely shifts. She feels dizzy because he uses his vampire speed to run up the stairs and into one of the bedrooms. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she screams, legs feeling like jelly when he puts her on the ground.

"Have a good night, Bonnie."

"What-"

He shuts the door in her face and locks it from the outside.

"You son of a-" Bonnie sends a wave of powerful magic against the door, she's going to blow the door open and give him an aneurysm for days. Except her magic rebounds. "What the hell?" she tried again but nothing happens. She feels a chill go down her spine at the realization that she can't use her magic.

 _How can this be?_

She has her magic; she can feel it. _So, why isn't it working against the door?_

"By the way," she hears his accented voice through the closed door. "This is a magic neutralizing room. Don't waste your energy trying to break free, it won't work."

Bonnie slams her fists against the door. "You fucking bastard!" she has never been so angry before. The nerve of that arrogant jerk to think he can lock her up in his house.

"I'm keeping you safe," it's his defense. "I'm sure you'll thank me later."

"I'm going to find a way out!" Bonnie screams at the door. "And when I do, you are going to regret this!" she kicks the door for good measure and hisses in pain.

Nik's laughter burns in her ears.

Bonnie curses at him and twists the doorknob angrily, it's obviously locked. He locked her in one of the rooms of his house and her magic has been neutralized and what's worst, she doesn't have her phone with her either to call for help. "Son of a bitch."

She rages and lets out a colorful string of curses. It does nothing to help her situation but it does help to make her feel better.

After who knows how long, she gets a hold of herself and sits on the floor.

"I can do this." Bonnie takes a deep breath and begins to think of ways she can escape. There has to be something, a talisman, a spell, or crystals that neutralizes the magic in this room. All she has to do is find them and destroy them. She can do that and more. She will show him what's she's capable of. Even if it means burning this freaking house to the ground, she will find a way to escape. Magic neutralizing room be damned, she's a Bennett witch, she has the power to escape and by her dead ancestors she will.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

By the time Elijah arrives well past midnight, Niklaus is sitting in his favorite chair sketching.

"He's dead and so are his underlings."

"Good," Nik smiles at his brother. He never doubted Elijah would come through.

"This doesn't mean your soulmate is safe," Elijah warns him. "If word has spread through the vampire community, there are plenty of vampires you sired who wish you harm and the best way to get to you now, it's through her."

Niklaus growls and stops sketching. "You don't need to remind me that she's a weakness, brother."

"Niklaus-"

"At any rate, it doesn't matter, she's safe here."

Elijah arches an eyebrow. "You spoke with her?"

"I did."

"And she agreed to stay here?" Elijah asks warily.

Niklaus takes a while to respond. Elijah is the person that knows him best, he would see through a lie right away so, it's best to speak truthfully. "Not exactly."

"What have you done, Niklaus?"

"What makes you think I've done something?" Nik asks with a genuinely innocent face.

Elijah's eyes narrow. "I know you brother, you're not exactly the negotiating type." He uses his vampire senses to try and locate the witch throughout the house.

Nik chuckles. "She's a spirited girl, I give you that."

Elijah eyes him suspiciously. "How did you convince her to stay then?"

"I locked her up in the special room in the third floor," Niklaus finally confesses.

"Niklaus!" Elijah reproaches him immediately. "How could you do something so cruel? To your own soulmate?" He wishes he were surprised by what his brother has done but truly, he is not. Niklaus is used to getting his way above all others and having a soulmate is not going to change that.

"She refused to listen!" Nik stands up. "She should consider herself lucky that I didn't feel like throwing her in the dungeon!"

Elijah groans. "Your manners as always _are impeccable_ ," he retorts in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm keeping her safe, that is all that matters."

Elijah shakes his head. "You plan to keep her lock up for the rest of her life?"

"Maybe."

Elijah gives him a disapproving look and walks away.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to make her something to eat and then I will speak with her and apologize for your appalling behavior, you would think that after a thousand years you would know how to woo a woman."

Niklaus frowns. "Who said anything about wooing?"

"She's your soulmate," Elijah replies with a smirk. "You are bound together for all eternity; you should do things right."

"Have you lost your mind? She's an annoying brat!" Niklaus follows him into the kitchen. "I have absolutely no interest in wooing her!"

"Because unlike all the other people in your life she refuses to do your bidding?" Elijah searches for something edible for their guest. They have some bread and cheese and ham, that should be enough to prepare something.

"She has no idea the risks she's facing, I'm doing what's best for her."

"I'm sure you are," Elijah mumbles with a roll of his eyes. They don't have much food in the fridge but hopefully, a sandwich will be enough of a peace offering. He walks calmly up the stairs, Niklaus following him and telling him what an annoying soulmate he finds himself bound to.

"You seem to be quite intrigued by her, brother."

"I'm annoyed by her, there is a difference."

Elijah doesn't look like he believes him.

"You better watch out," Niklaus warns him as they stop in front of the magic neutralizing room. "She'll kick you and run away as soon as you open the door."

"Is that what she did to you?" Elijah can't help but smile as he knocks on the door.

"She used her magic the first time and caught me off guard," his brother admits in a low voice. "It was quite remarkable, I'll give you that." His lips twitch and his eyes are shinning with pride. "She did it without thinking, it was pure instinct; the second time, she hesitated and wasn't able to pack a strong enough wave of power."

Elijah raises an eyebrow, unable to hide his smirk.

Niklaus realizes what he has done and glares at him.

Elijah chuckles before knocking on the door once more. "Ms. Bennett it's Elijah, I brought you something to eat." When there is no response, he slowly unlocks the door and steps inside; his brother following closely behind.

The lights in the room are on.

The window is open but there is no witch in sight.

"Where the bloody hell is she?" Niklaus demands while scanning the room for the petite, green eyed witch.

"It seems to me she's gone." Elijah looks at the bed and finds a bunch of talismans neatly arranged in a pile. There is a note too. "Brother…" he signals to his brother to look at the bed.

Niklaus picks the paper and growls, fingers nearly ripping it to shreds.

"What does it say?"

When his brother doesn't respond, Elijah has to lean over his shoulder in order to read the note.

 _Nice try, hybrid._

 _The witch you hired to neutralize the magic in this room sucks by the way._

 _Nighty-night,_

 _Your soulmate._

"Seems to me you have met your match, brother."

Despite the anger he feels, Niklaus can help but smirk. "I'll be damned." Not only had Bonnie found the talismans that blocked magic inside the room, she had also disarmed them, and escaped without him noticing. He places the note in his pocket and walks towards the door. Oh, she certainly won this round.

"Where are you going?" Elijah wonders.

"I'm going to find my soulmate," Nik remarks before flashing out of the room.

Elijah watches him go and smiles to himself.

Yes, Niklaus has clearly found his match.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _Thank-you so much for all your continued support. Enjoy!_

* * *

A good hunter knows better than to alert his prey.

He watches, he learns, and attacks when the prey least expects it.

And so, Niklaus suppresses the urge to barge into his soulmate's home and drag her back to his manor. He can have the patience of a Saint when the occasion calls for it and given the fact that the witch managed to successfully escape him, he knows better than to underestimate her again.

It's a game.

A rather thrilling game.

He hasn't felt this excited in centuries.

He has known plenty of witches in the thousand years he has walked the earth but none have been able to surprise him as Bonnie Bennett has.

Thanks to the blood he gave her and the wretched bond that glues them, he tracks her down easily, to a small flat on a quiet London street. Bonnie lives on the second floor of a red and white Victorian row house. There is an older woman on the first floor, her landlady probably. She has a large black dog who barks upon seeing his presence through the window.

Nik retreats to the shadow, not wanting to alert either woman.

The wretched dog barks once again, eyes looking right at him.

Nik ignores the animal and stares at the second-floor window. He can feel her inside, walking around, opening and closing cabinets while she speaks to someone on the phone.

 _Why are you calling so late? I was really worried Bonnie…_

He immediately recognizes Sheila Bennett's voice. It's been years since the last time he saw the old Bennett matriarch but Nik would know her voice anywhere.

 _And why are you calling from the landline, where is your phone?_

There is a hint of nervousness through their bond.

 _I'm sorry Grams…_ a pause. _My battery died and I just got home._

Nik smirks at the easiness in which Bonnie lies. Her voice sounds perfectly calm but her heartbeat betrays the anxiousness she feels about lying to her Grams. He can hear her pacing around the room as she continues to talk. She's a clever girl, she has proven as much but he finds it curious that she didn't inform her grandmother about the vampire attack or the fact that he technically kidnapped her after rescuing her.

 _What are you planning little witch?_

 _why do you wish to keep our meeting a secret?_

When she suddenly opens the window, he blurs behind a tree.

The stupid dog keeps on barking.

"Winston! What is wrong with you?" he hears the old woman asks as she tries to shut him up.

Bonnie stares out of the window with a pensive look.

Nik's wrist tingles, he can almost feel phantom fingers caressing the letters branding his skin. He closes his eyes, projecting an aura of calm that will surely float to the witch.

She can feel him.

The same way he can feel her.

The soul bond is a double edge sword after all.

He stays in the shadows long after he hears the window close.

Bonnie is quite young so she probably has no idea how a supernatural bond works, she still hasn't figure out how to use the soul bond to her advantage but she will learn one day and that makes him uncomfortable. He doesn't want her to have any power over him.

Nik remains hidden and watches her peek through her window a couple more times before finally turning the lights off. She must still be on edge, not that he blames her after everything she went through that day. A good night's sleep will do her good and it will give him time to think and plot his next move. As exciting as this game is, he needs to be careful. He cannot afford to make any mistakes.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

He's watching her.

Once the idea has taken root inside her head, Bonnie cannot stop thinking about it.

She feels a tingle on her wrist, right where his name is inked and to her, that can only mean one thing.

Nik is close.

She checks all the windows, triple locks her door, and puts up vervain around her bed just in case. She also adds some extra protective spells to her door and waits for him to come for her. Nik is probably pissed that she escaped.

 _Vampires can't come inside unless they are invited,_ she remembers and that makes her feel relieved. She will never invite him in.

Bonnie stares out of her window, trying to find him.

 _Where are you?_

 _Why aren't you trying to come inside?_

Bonnie hates the way her heart skips at the thought of him knocking on her door.

She paces around the living room, waiting for that fateful knock.

It never comes.

When she finally gives up waiting in the living room, she heads to the bathroom and takes a long hot shower, doing her best to clear her head.

She changes into her pajamas and climbs into bed, a cup of tea in hand.

 _What is he waiting for?_

He must be outside, it's the only explanation as to why her wrist keeps tingling.

There is a strange calmness invading her, it makes her almost sleepy.

Even when her eyes drop, Bonnie forces herself to stay awake, waiting.

She waits and waits but Nik does not come.

She touches her wrist nervously.

 _Is she so paranoid that she thinks he might be standing outside her home?_

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Bonnie wonders out loud. She puts the cup of tea on her nightstand and pulls the covers over her body. She needs to stop thinking about him.

When the day's events finally catch up with her, she falls into a deep slumber.

In dreams she can escape her trouble thoughts.

Bonnie sleeps like a baby.

The next morning, she stumbles out of bed and rushes out of her house to catch the tube.

She is late for her first class.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

The day passes in a blur.

She attends all her lectures, mind often drifting towards her soulmate.

As she moves from one lecture hall to another, Bonnie swears she feels eyes on her skin.

His eyes on her.

She constantly looks over her shoulder as she walks. She even uses her magic to search for any supernatural presence around her university campus but she feels and sees nothing.

Nik is no where to be found.

 _What is he waiting for?_

Bonnie doesn't know if she's actually sensing him or if she's just imaging that he's following her around.

She's not sure which she would prefer either.

 _Why would he waste an entire day following her?_

Then again, she fooled him. She succeeded in escaping.

 _So, why hasn't he come for her yet?_

And why does she feel disappointed because of it.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

Another day goes by.

Bonnie goes to class in the morning and in the afternoon, she goes to her job. She works part time at an antiques store. There are hardly any customers that day and she takes advantage of the quiet night to complete her reading assignments.

It helps to take her mind off _him_.

For a couple of hours, she can concentrate on her work and not think about Nik. Because that is all she has been doing since they met and it's driving her crazy, specially because she had expected him to do something by now.

 _Doesn't he care that she escaped from him?_

 _Didn't he want to keep her safe?_

"Stop thinking about him!" Bonnie mutters to herself.

Her coworker gives her a strange look.

Bonnie slams her book shut and decides to clean the counter. She really needs to stop thinking about that jerk of a soulmate. He clearly doesn't care about her as he pretended, for he hasn't seek her out. _Has he even realized she escaped from the room? Did he even read her note?_

 _He's probably relieved to be rid of me,_ Bonnie thinks while furiously scrubbing the counter. _I should feel relieved too._

But she doesn't.

She feels disappointed instead.

Bonnie wants to see him again.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

The following day, Bonnie continues with her routine.

She goes to class in the morning and heads to the store in the afternoon for her shift.

The big difference is that it's Friday, and Lucy has convinced her to hang out.

"Grams wants me to keep an eye on you," Lucy tells her over the phone as they arrange a time and place to meet later that night. "She doesn't want to say it out loud but she's worried."

Bonnie doesn't want Grams to worry, which is why she didn't tell her about the vampire attack, or the fact that Nik rescued her and locked her up in a room to supposedly keep her safe.

Hours later, as she sits across from Lucy inside their favorite pub, she tells her everything. The past two days she has been going crazy and telling Lucy what's going on makes Bonnie feel like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

"He did what!" her cousin screams and nearly spills her beer.

A couple of heads turn in their direction. The pub is crowded but Lucy is loud enough to draw attention.

"Do you want to announce it on national television?" Bonnie snaps.

"You were attacked by vampires and your soulmate saved you and he also kidnapped you, Bonnie! How do you expect me to react?"

"Yeah, but I'm fine and I escaped."

Lucy gives her a strange look. "You sound rather upset about that."

Bonnie frowns. "I'm not…I'm just…" she struggles to find the right words.

Lucy waits expectantly.

"I broke the spells in the room. I left without him noticing, and he didn't care!" Bonnie finally vents. "I waited that night for him to find me and he didn't…he…" she lets a frustrated growl. "I felt like he was watching me that night and the next day too…" she pauses and glances around the pub. _Is he here now? Or her mind just keeps playing tricks on her?_ "There are times when I can feel him close to me, as if he were right there in class with me, or following me to work, or back home."

"Sounds to me like you are dying to see him again."

"I am not!" Bonnie suddenly finds her napkin very interesting.

"Bonnie," Lucy's voice is gentle but serious. "Look at me."

Bonnie looks up.

Lucy gives her a knowing look.

"Okay, fine!" Bonnie gives up. "I will admit that there was a part of me that enjoyed arguing with him and hoped that he would follow me home…and…" she goes quiet all of a sudden trying to find an excuse for the _need_ she feels burning inside her. "The bond must be getting to me." It's the only logical explanation.

"Is he hot?"

Bonnie's cheeks burn.

"Well?"

She gives a shy nod before gulping down her beer. "Sexiest guy I've ever met," Bonnie confesses.

Lucy grins.

"But he's also an arrogant jerk!"

Lucy laughs loudly.

"What is he waiting for? What game is he playing Lu?"

"Oh Bee, you have it bad."

Bonnie glares at her.

"We need another round," Lucy proclaims happily. "Then you are going to tell me more about this sexy hybrid of yours."

Bonnie groans.

She knows Lucy is not going to rest until she gets every single detail out of her.

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

Sheila Bennett is finishing drying the dishes when there is a knock on the door. She frowns. It's rather late and she's not expecting any visitors. In fact, she is ready to go to bed.

Solomon's nose twitches and he watches the door with curious eyes.

There is another knock.

Sheila drops the dishtowel and walks towards the front door, magic alerting her to the presence of a witch on the other side.

She takes a deep breath and straightens her spine before opening the door.

"Madame Bennett," a man dressed in a navy suit greets her.

"Mr. Jones." Sheila swallows the knot in her throat and forces a polite smile. There is only one reason why a high-ranking member of the witch council is visiting her at this hour. _Bonnie,_ she thinks nervously.

"Forgive me for intruding at this late hour, Madame." He fidgets with the scarf around his neck. "I was hoping we could have a word."

"Of course," Sheila steps to the side and allows him inside. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" She asks while offering him a seat.

"The book of records has been updated with some rather disturbing information," Mr. Jones replies as he takes a seat across from her.

"Oh dear," Sheila murmurs. "Sounds rather troublesome."

Mr. Jones studies her face carefully. "You don't know?"

"Know what, exactly?" Sheila can feel a slight prickle in her head, it very subtle, a lesser witch wouldn't have known the difference. Despite the anger she feels that he would dare to try and read her mind, she keeps her composure, subtly pushing his probing away. Her eyes narrow just the slightest in a clear warning.

 _Don't you dare do that again._

Mr. Jones flushes bright red. He knows he has been caught. He touches his scarf and fidgets in his seat.

"What exactly don't I know, Mr. Jones?"

"The book of records indicate that your granddaughter Bonnie," he takes a nervous pause. "She is now the soulmate of the hybrid." He waits a beat, watching Sheila's reaction carefully. When he doesn't get the desired response, he frowns. "You do not seem surprised, Madame?"

"I suppose I'm in shock," Sheila replies.

Mr. Jones stares at her curiously. She's very good at hiding her feelings on the matter. "The council is not pleased."

Sheila stares at him blankly.

Mr. Jones continues to frown. "This is a very serious matter, Madame Bennett."

"Yes, it is." Even though she appears to be calm, Sheila is rather nervous. She's not sure what to expect next.

"Your granddaughter's presence has been requested by the high council," Mr. Jones informs her solemnly. "She will receive the official summon tomorrow."

Sheila's heart sinks.

"Out of respect for your family, I thought it best to deliver the news to you personally." Mr. Jones gives her a sympathetic look. "I must warn you Madame, this shocking turn of events has split the council into two very different camps. You must prepare your granddaughter, for no one can predict on which side the coin will land."

"Is that a threat, Mr. Jones?"

"A mere warning, Madame Bennett."

 **X**

 **X**

 **X**

Lucy drops her off around two in the morning.

She stays long enough to see Bonnie get safely inside the house before speeding into the night.

Bonnie stumbles while climbing the steps, managing to hold on to the rail at the last second.

She fumbles for her keys, head throbbing painfully.

She drank too much.

 _Drinking yourself to oblivion is a good way to forget about your problems,_ Lucy told her earlier. Her cousin had also kept getting more rounds of beer in order to get all the details about Nik out of Bonnie's lips. She said way too much, like how cute she thinks Nik's dimples are or the fact that her heart felt ready to burst every time he got too close to her.

 _I really want to see him again, Lu._ _Why doesn't he want to see me?_

 _He's playing hard to get, obviously._

Bonnie cringes as she remembers her drunken confession. Lucy is never going to let her live this down.

When she finally finds her keys, she sighs with relief. She tries her best not to make too much noise. The last thing she wants is to wake up Gladys and the dog, Winston likes to bark a lot and Gladys is a sweet older lady who treats Bonnie like a granddaughter and would certainly never appreciate seeing her intoxicated.

She successfully makes it to the second floor without waking anyone.

Bonnie doesn't bother to turn on the lights as she stumbles inside.

She throws her purse and keys on the couch and takes her jacket off before making her way to her bedroom.

Goosebumps form in her arms, the silky red top she's wearing does nothing against the cold air coming in from her open window.

Bonnie stops in her tracks.

 _Did she open the window before leaving?_

The pounding headache extends to the back of her neck now.

"Ouch."

The slithering sensation makes her skin crawl.

Something is not right.

It takes a few more seconds for her alcohol induced brain to acknowledge the dark aura inside her room.

The coldness in her body intensifies until her toes feel like icicles.

Bonnie knows what this cold sensation means.

 _Shit!_

There is a vampire in her room.

She turns around, hand balling into a fist.

All the lights suddenly turn on.

He's calmly sitting on her bed, hands behind his head, legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles. The Cheshire grin on his lips makes Bonnie's stomach drop. "Had I been another vampire, you'd be dead by now."

"You-" Bonnie sputters, knees feeling weak. She closes her eyes and steadies her breathing. _It's not his presence,_ she tells herself, _it's the alcohol getting to her._

Nik's eyes glint with amusement. "Enjoyed your night out with your cousin?"

Bonnie opens her eyes and stares dumbly at him. He's here.

 _Nik is here, inside her home, in her bed._

The mixture of surprise and happiness she feels upon seeing him has her nearly falling on her ass. _Holy Hell!_ the rush of emotions is too much. She needs to focus before she makes a fool out of herself. "How did you-" She stops short. "You've been following me!" she points her finger accusingly.

"Obviously," he mutters with a roll of his eyes.

Bonnie growls.

 _Anger is good,_ she can deal with anger.

"You didn't honestly believe I was going to leave you alone after the stunt you pulled, did you?"

"I'm surprised it took you this long," Bonnie barks back. "Scared?"

Using his vampire speed, Nik stands up and comes right into her personal space, a threatening look on his face. "Be careful, little witch."

"Or what?" Bonnie challenges.

He stares down at her, jaw clenching painfully.

Bonnie's treacherous heart is ready to jump out of her chest.

He grins for he can hear it perfectly.

Bonnie backs away immediately. She's on the receiving end of one of those intense looks of his, the kind that brings a wave of heat. She feels almost dizzy all of a sudden.

 _Why in God's earth did he choose to come on the night her senses are diluted?_

He doesn't know how to play fair!

Nik's eyes slid over her body, appreciating the generous cleavage her top provides-she's not wearing a bra-something he notices right away.

Bonnie feels the need to cross her arms over her chest.

Nik licks his lips; he can see the pebbled nipples through the silky material of her top. He also likes the way her black jeans hug her curves. She's tiny but beautiful and the purr that comes out of his chest is unexpectedly thrilling for both of them.

"How did you get in?" She asks nervously.

"Your landlady was kind enough to let me in," he responds, eyes flicking towards the swell of her breasts. He can rip the silk with one finger and expose her chest to his gaze. It's very tempting, so much so, that he takes an involuntary step back.

Bonnie's eyes widen. "Gladys! You didn't-"

"Hurt her?" Nik reads her thoughts easily. "Who do you take me for?" he pretends to be offended.

Bonnie glares at him.

"She invited me in for tea," he offers her a dimpled grin. "We had a lovely chat, she told me _many things about you._ " He waits for her to take the bait.

 _What kind of things?_ is at the tip of her tongue but she keeps her lips shut.

Nik continues to smile at her.

 _Why does he have cute dimples?_

She suddenly wishes she could punch them away.

"What's the matter, love?"

"I can't believe you had the audacity to compel my landlady."

"I charmed her," Nik corrects, feeling pleased with himself.

Bonnie shakes her head.

"She's on her way to Greece as we speak."

"What?"

"She's old and vulnerable and the vervain you put in her water is not enough to protect her from vampires." He glances at her nightstand. "The vervain you put around your bed was useless too by the way." Bonnie opens her mouth with a retort but he cuts it off. "If I managed to charm her into inviting me in, so can another vampire," he warns her. "They won't be nice about it actually; they'll kill her and get it over with."

Bonnie rubs her forehead; her head is killing her. "You sent her to Greece," she repeats while trying to understand what game he is playing.

"She always wanted to go there," Nik replies. "She'll have a lovely time there; I can assure you. I even allowed her to take that wretched dog of hers." He had been sorely tempted to have Gladys dump him on the side of the road.

"If you had dared to hurt Winston, I swear-"

"Relax sweetheart, precious Winston is enjoying a private plane ride as we speak."

"Seriously?" Bonnie is incredulous.

"I'm looking out for you, love. You should be thankful."

"I don't need you to look after me, I can take care of myself."

"Sure, you can."

"Listen Nik, I-"

"Since you couldn't stay at the manor like a good little girl, I had to improvise and ensure your safety in this-" he looks around her small room. "-humble adobe of yours."

"You locked me in a magic neutralizing room!" Bonnie shouts angrily. The headache returns at full force. _Damn it,_ she needs to sit down and drink some coffee before she passes out.

"I was trying to protect you!"

"Get out!"

Nik arches an eyebrow feeling unimpressed by her outburst.

"I mean it," Bonnie hisses. "I want you to leave now."

"No, you don't." He takes a step closer, eyes twinkling. "We both know how much you have been dying to see."

Bonnie shakes her head.

When he takes another menacing step closer, she back away quickly.

"That cheeky note you left me was an invitation to come."

"No."

"Admit it."

Bonnie lifts her chin. "Never," she spits.

Nik chuckles. "Somebody is playing hard to get," he teases.

"Shut up."

He tilts his head to the side. The look he gives her takes her breath away. "I thought I was the sexiest guy you have ever met," he says with a pout.

Bonnie feels like she has been punched. _He was there in the pub, listening to her conversation with Lucy!_ The embarrassment she feels burns as hot as the sun. She can't utter a single word.

Nik is smirking of course. He thinks he has won. "What else did you say to your cousin about me..." he taps his chin playfully. "Oh yes, you find my dimples cute..." he smiles from ear to ear, proudly showing said dimples.

"Oh my god," Bonnie can't believe he was listening. She squeezes her eyes shut.

"There is no need to be embarrassed love."

Bonnie gasps when she feels his knuckles tracing her cheek. She pulls away from his grasp and forces her mortification down. She decides to focus on the anger boiling in her veins instead. "How dare you-"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic."

"Get out of my apartment, NOW!"

The lights flicker on and off.

The amusement slips off his face.

"That was a private conversation..."

Nik suddenly turns his head to the side.

"You had no right-" Bonnie never gets to finish her sentence.

The ground shifts.

She groans when she finds her back pressed against the cold wall. She blinks up at him, dumbfounded by how fast he moved. Her heart is beating wildly as she finds herself between the wall and his hard body. "What are-" he covers her mouth with one hand.

Bonnie's magic flares.

 _The nerve of him to pin her to the wall!_

She's getting ready to kick him when she hears a crash downstairs.

Bonnie freezes and stares up at him with wide eyes.

Nik looks down at her. The look on his face lets Bonnie know that this is no game.

Something is wrong.

There are muffled sounds coming from the first floor, voices but she can't make out what they are saying.

She looks back at Nik whose eyes are asking, c _an you keep quiet?_

Bonnie nods slowly.

He releases her mouth but his body is still pressing her against the wall.

Another noise comes from downstairs.

"She's upstairs," a gruff male voice says.

Bonnie sobers up with the realization that they're coming for her. She turns to Nik, feeling uncertain of what's going on. "Vampires?" she whispers.

Nik shakes his head. "Werewolves," he growls while veins form under his eyes.

Bonnie gasps, hating the tingling in her body when he flashes his fangs.

When the door bursts open, Nik is standing protectively in front of her.


End file.
